Kia MVP ranking: Luka Dončić climbs into the top 5 despite a great effort

Since returning from a right wrist injury on December 1, Luka Doncic has averaged 28.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8.1 assists.

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He was sidelined on Thursday with a heel injury, but make no mistake – Luka Dončić has a firm foot on a rung of the MVP rankings and is climbing his way up.

The Kia MVP Ladder Committee welcomes the Dallas Mavericks guard to the Top 5 family, a reward for a strong December in which he averaged 30.8 points, 10.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game. Additionally, as Christmas Day approaches this month, he is shooting 52% overall and 43% on 3-pointers. He and the Mavs will face the Minnesota Timberwolves, the team that knocked Dončić out of the playoffs last spring, on Dec. 25.

Otherwise, the ladder remains largely unchanged. After Christmas Day, All-Star Weekend will be the next big checkpoint, followed by the home stretch of the regular season.

Maybe by then we’ll know if it’s a two-man race between former MVPs currently occupying the top two spots, or if someone comes out on top to win their first award. Someone like Luka?

Set the stage this week: The holiday basketball season will be in full swing in Denver and Phoenix, where the Nuggets and Suns play twice – the day before Christmas Eve and then on Christmas Day. Of course, this highlights two former MVPs in Nikola Jokić and Kevin Durant. Their teams sink or swim with them; The Suns are 1-9 without Durant this season, and the Nuggets’ offensive and defensive efficiency numbers are drastically opposite when “The Joker” is sidelined.

The stats you should know: The three leaders on our list – Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – each average over 30 minutes per game.

What they say: “If you talk about Luka’s ability to have the necessary influence on the game in terms of passing, rebounding and scoring, then he does all three things at a very high level.”
— Mavericks coach Jason Kidd on Luka Dončić.

1. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets

Last ladder: No. 1
Season statistics: 31.0 ppg, 13.0 rpg, 9.8 apg

His case: As the regular season approaches the all-important Christmas Day checkpoint, no one else in the league ranks in the top three in points, rebounds and assists. It’s a historic beginning that still can’t be ignored and gives “The Joker” a head start.

And Jokić needed a historic start to hold on to No. 2 in the rankings after a great weekend in Las Vegas where he won big money.

2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

Last ladder: #2
Season statistics: 32.7 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 6.1 apg

His case: He was the tallest player in the biggest game of the year, the Emirates NBA Cup title game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Typical of his play all season, Antetokounmpo was a giant on both ends of the court, punishing OKC with downhill drives to the basket and providing key defensive stops.

Should he be number 1? This is definitely a worthwhile debate. He’s so close. And perhaps another solid week will put him over the top before the calendar flips to 2025 and the MVP rankings take an even more serious turn.

3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

Last ladder: No. 3
Season statistics: 30.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 6.3 apg

His case: Shai took the Thunder to the Emirates NBA Cup Championship; In the quarterfinals, he edged out the Mavericks and Dončić, who got the best of him in last year’s playoffs.

Shai had his worst game of the season in the Cup Championship. However, his season shouldn’t be limited to one bad night.

4. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks

Last ladder: No. 6
Season statistics: 28.9 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 8.2 apg

His case: Dončić bounced back from a subpar performance against Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder in the knockout rounds of the NBA Cup with one of the most impressive performances ever this season: a 45-11-13 line in a shootout win over the Warriors on Sunday .

Since returning from a wrist injury a few weeks ago, Dončić is averaging more than 30 points (through more efficient shooting), 10 rebounds, nine assists and two steals per game. The latter number is important because it shows some defensive growth, which has been a problem for him until recently.

5. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

Last ladder: No. 4
Season statistics: 28.3 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 5.5 apg

His case: He dropped 34 points on the Bucks last week to temporarily halt Milwaukee’s rise and was the most productive player on a court he shared with Antetokounmpo.

With a slightly competitive schedule through the end of the calendar year, Tatum could add to his already impressive points, rebounds and assists.

The next 5:

6. Karl Anthony Towns, New York Knicks
7. Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
8. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
9. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
10. Tyler Herro, Miami Heat

And five more (ordered alphabetically): James Harden, LA Clippers; Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers; Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics; Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies; Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets.

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Shaun Powell has been covering the NBA for more than 25 years. You can email him here, his archive can be found here and Follow him on X.

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